Arrangement for a dropper

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for a dropper, in particular a container (bottle) ( 1 ) made of injection-molded plastics, preferably, but not necessarily, translucent, with a base ( 2 ) having the form of a membrane (M), having a different thickness than the container, but being an integral part of the container (bottle) ( 1 ), with a corrugated perimeter ( 3 ) that causes the membrane (M) to act like a spring, making it considerably easier to actuate and move the liquid mechanically towards the dose dispensing device ( 4 ).

This Utility Model request refers to a new arrangement for a dropper,notably of a improved container (bottle) for mechanical application ofproducts by drops in the most varied segments, among them the medicaland/or pharmaceutical, wherein the container (bottle) presents a basalmembrane with ergonomic and mechanic features, with the main scope toshow a precise and user-friendly product.

There are several socio-economic factors that manufacturers andsuppliers of products in general, among them manufacturers of containers(bottles) for pharmaceuticals, must take as relevant in the developmentphase of new products.

The pharmaceutical branch has been showing a significant developmentover the past few years, bringing great competitiveness to the sector.

The entry of generic drugs and the increased participation of similardrugs incited the battle for the consumer market, drastically affectingthe performance of major brands conventionally known as Reference Marks,since the generic strategy is basically to compete by price.

Currently it is known a variety of applicators by dropper, especiallythose that is traditionally used, prepared in glass and/or plasticcontainers with a dropper bung.

Mainly because of the competitive need to reduce costs among the variouscompanies in the market, these drippers gradually replaced the oldapplicator by dropper, consisting of a glass tube (boron silicate) inthe shape of cannula with an elastomeric membrane, in bulbous, at oneend, which was responsible for suction/dose of the product.

This relentless pursuit of cost reduction to maintain competitivenessbetween the companies resulted in products that meet partially the needsand desires of end users, particularly with respect to some demeritsdescribed by consumers unhappy with the mandatory obligation imposed onthem from having to live with these problems, given the lack ofalternatives consistent with the goal of the product cost

In the current State of Art, they are known patent documents that dealwith drippers for bottles generally, such as the Brazilian MU 8101994-7,comprising a dripper cover (dropper), made preferably of plastic,adaptive in bottlenecks vials with 28 mm diameter, substantially formedby hollow circular section body, provided with a hollow dropper tip andof a hollow tip for air entrance, used for dosage of drug solutions.

Brazilian MU 8202018-3 refers to a cover carrier seal pin, that combinedwith the reduction of the dropper bung extension, allows that,regardless of the diameter of the orifice for the outflow of theproduct, determined by the dosage of the same, the cover of thecontainer can keep the same ratio and external format, thus eliminatingcompletely the need to readjust the machinery and variations of modelsof caps and bungs in the laboratory stock.

Regardless of the features claimed in the above documents and other noless important, which were not related, the quantity of liquid isperformed by pressing the body of the bottle, when it is plastic, inorder to dispense the drug.

Another important part is represented by droppers of glass containers(bottles), whose quantity of liquid is performed, in most cases, withoutany mechanical intervention of user, but simply let the container upsidedown.

In short and in general, products with known drippers, currently on themarket, with containers (bottles) of glass or plastic, have someoperating disadvantages:

-   -   Containers (bottles), of plastic PET (Polyethylene        Terephthalate), PP (Polypropylene), PE (Polyethylene), although        they make possible the mechanical dosage, they are a hindrance        to convenient and accurate drop, due to the reduced or excessive        flexibility of their walls, providing therefore the nozzle (jet)        or difficulty in dosage of the product respectively;    -   Waste of medication when the occurrence of problems in the        dosage, since the product must be disposed;    -   Glass containers (bottles) preclude the mechanical dosage,        making them less functional;    -   Often, the beginning of the dripping is time consuming and the        product dispensing is slow;    -   Glass containers (bottles) are dangerous to users, in case of        breakage, due to fall or any other kind of impact.

In order to solve these cited drawbacks and seeking to rescue thestrengths of applicators by dropper, the inventor, after research andstudies, has created the arrangement for a dropper of this invention,which presents a plastic container (bottle), produced by the injectionprocess, provided with a membrane of differentiated thickness, providingflexibility to the system, with corrugated area on its internal face,which gives an valve effect (spring), said membrane is sufficient toimprove and/or ease the effort required for dripping the liquid in thecontainer (bottle).

The conception herein claimed is able to promote a number of advantages,being the most prevalent:

-   -   Security—as the containers (bottles) are made of plastic, there        is no risk of cutting accidents, resulting from the breakage of        said container;    -   Accuracy—optimal response of pressing the membrane, avoiding        waste of product;    -   Control—the user controls mechanically the beginning and speed        of the dripping, by pressing the membrane;    -   Visibility—to be made (injected) of translucent material, it is        possible to check the level of product within the container        (bottle);    -   Cost Reduction—in relation to glass bottles, the invention        reduces the costs of production, due to the lower cost of        employed technology, lower transportation costs (lighter        package) and therefore a lower cost of final packaging;    -   With respect to containers (bottles) generated by extrusion or        injection/extrusion, they offer a higher standard of quality        with stronger productivity;    -   Greater flexibility in production scheduling of the containers        (bottles), besides increasing the range of possibilities of        processors enabled to provide this kind of packaging.

To follow, this innovation is explained with reference to the attacheddrawings, which are represented of an illustrative and not limiting way:

FIG. 1: View in cut of the arrangement for a dropper;

FIG. 2: Partial exploded perspective view of the arrangement for adropper;

FIG. 3: Inverted perspective view of the arrangement for a dropper;

FIG. 4: Perspective view of the arrangement for a dropper, showing itsuse.

The arrangement for a dropper, object of this Utility Model request,presents a container (bottle) (1) made of injection-molded plastics,with a base (2) having a membrane (M), with different thickness than thecontainer, allowing the mechanical flexibility, with a corrugatedperimeter (3) that causes the membrane (M) to act like a spring, makingit considerably easier to actuate and move the liquid mechanicallytowards the dose dispensing device (4).

This innovation is composed by a container (bottle) (1), an dropper bung(4) and a cover (5) with seal (6) which shows the first opening of thepackage. The cover (5) can be of any kind, as, for example, screwable,completely removed from the neck, or of Twist Off kind, where there isno need for its total removal from the container (bottle) neck, whoseopening is determined by the spin part of the same, typically around90°, in counterclockwise, and the closing in reverse. The drippingsystem is greatly simplified; there is no need for vents (airentrances).

With regard to dosage, the shaping the product exit orifice of thedropper has to be adapted to the physical-chemical characteristics ofthe product being dispensed, a factor which sets the drop size.

More particularly, the dispensing of fluid, after opening the cover (5),occurs by pressing a flexible membrane (M), which has a corrugatedperimeter (3) used as flexing spring of said membrane (M), of thicknessdifferent from the rest of the container (bottle) (1) body The nipregion is fully protected, since it is in the base (2) of the container(bottle) (1) and set back from the contact surface of the packaging,thus avoiding any accidental starting, either in storage ortransportation.

The dropping control is made by pressing the membrane (M) with thefinger, usually the thumb or index finger; for this, it should keep thecontainer (bottle) (1) upside down. Therefore, the operation principleis based on compression to the region of the membrane (M), generating aninternal pressure differential (pressure increase) which forces theliquid out through the dripper opening (7). So, compression actsdirectly on the liquid, forcing it against the dripper opening (7), thuskeeping the efficiency, even with different internal contents.

1) An arrangement for a dropper, wherein said dropper presents amembrane (M) having a different thickness and being flexible, with acorrugated perimeter (3), creating an protected nip region in the base(2) of the container (bottle) (1), resulted from the same process ofinjection.